Up 6-5 in the bottom of the 10th, Mo wiggled out of a BASES LOADED, no out deathtrap to seal the win.

Mo popped up Chris Young.

Ditto Adam LaRoche, who had driven in all five Arizona runs.

And finally, Rivera punched out strikeout machine Mark Reynolds, who went yard 44 times in '09, but also whiffed an MLB record 223 times.

Ballgame over, Yank-ees win! Thhh-e Yank-ees win!

It was nice to see Mariano walk off the mound in Arizona with a big smile and the 543rd save of his
Hall of Fame career.

More importantly, the Bombers (45-27) picked up a game on the rest of the A.L. East and are now 2 1/2 games ahead of Boston and Tampa Bay.

But it wasn't easy.

Until the 10th, this was one dreary game to watch.

The pitchers couldn't throw strikes -- most notably Snakes starter Dontrelle Willis, who walked seven in just 2 1/3 innings -- and the Yankees stranded a boatload of runners, failing to deliver a knockout blow to a scrappy, but clearly inferior team.

He Who Shall Not Be Named hurled five innings of mediocre ball, giving up four runs on six hits.

But when Curtis Granderson put the Bombers ahead in the 10th with a line drive home run, it was up to Rivera to close it out.

AP photoIt's high-fives all around after Curtis Granderson slammed what proved to be the game-winning home run in Arizona in the 10th inning.

Just like in 2001, Mariano had an easy first frame, but his second inning was a rollercoaster ride.

Stephen Drew, playing the role of Mark Grace, singled. Justin Upton, doing his best Tony Womack, doubled.

Second and third -- and nobody out.

The D-back fans (that is, the few who were at Chase Field in this Yankees Universe-dominated crowd) were roaring.

The scoreboard was playing video from the 2001 World Series.

But the D-backs have to move on and make new memories.

And it wasn't going to be on this late Wednesday night (Thursday morning on the East Coast).

Joe Girardi opted to walk Miguel Montero, betting that Mo could escape the bases loaded, no out jam.

And G.I. Joe's faith was rewarded.

After the game, Mariano attributed his resilience to the confidence he has in his ability to succeed. He also correctly noted that the Yanks played a "horrible" game and that the team has to get back to playing "the right way."

Amen.

Sure, the dramatic win didn't erase the sting of Game 7.

But I'm not going to lie.

It was cathartic to see Mo close out the D'backs on THAT mound in THAT park -- in THAT situation.

After all, Mariano's Great Escape was the ending we expected all along on that November 2001 night in the desert.